News from the Library of Congress

January 5, 2006

Nicholas Basbanes to Discuss His Book About Books on Jan. 31

Popular journalist and book world chronicler Nicholas Basbanes will discuss his new book, "Every Book Its Reader: The Power of the Printed Word to Stir the World," at the Library of Congress at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Montpelier Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

A book signing will follow the presentation, which is part of the Books & Beyond author series sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The District of Columbia Library Association is co-sponsoring the event. The program is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

"The Center for the Book is pleased to present Nicholas Basbanes for the third time in our "Books & Beyond series," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole. "Nick is a top-notch interviewer and storyteller who has enriched our culture through his reporting skills and natural curiosity about books, book collectors and libraries."

"Every Book Its Reader" highlights interviews with a wide range of omnivorous readers. It’s a sequel to "A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books" (1995) and "Patience & Fortitude: A Roving Chronicle of Book People, Book Places, and Book Culture" (2001), two volumes featured in previous Books & Beyond talks.

A native of Lowell, Mass., Basbanes graduated from Bates College in 1965,received a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1968 and served as a naval officer in the Tonkin Gulf in 1969 and 1970. He was an award-winning investigative reporter during the early 1970s, the literary editor of the Worcester Sunday Telegram from 1978 to 1991, and a nationally syndicated columnist writing on books and authors for eight years during the 1990s.The Center for the Book was created in 1977 to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books, reading and book culture. For information about its activities nationally and through its state and local partnerships, visit: www.loc.gov/cfbook.